EDITORIAL: USA Dominates Russia

One of the least-noticed facts about Russia by those who call themselves her “defenders” is that each year the USA and Russia produce virtually the same amount of crude oil. Russia generates an income stream in foreign currency from its production which America lacks only because the American economy, immeasurably more potent and powerful than Russia’s, uses all of the country’s supplies for manufacturing and more, making huge purchases on the international markerts, while Russia is able to use only a tiny fraction of the oil it produces in its anemic, pathetic neo-Soviet industrial base.

And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Russia also manages the economic energy it does manage to generate far, far worse than America does, leading to anemic performance that bespeaks the total lack of credentials wielded by the clan of KGB spies that govern Russia.

No clearer illustration of this, for Russia, bitterly harsh reality could be offered than to compare America’s Exxon-Mobile with Russia’s Gazprom. Exxon posted a record profit of $45 billion in 2008. Its fourth-quarter results were down because of falling prices for crude oil, but just 33%, and it rose to the top of Fortune 500 for the year. And Gazprom? Russia’s entry in the competition, a monopoly run by the Russian government itself, saw its profts fall by a whopping, truly breathtaking 84% in the fourth quarter of last year. Its total profits for the year were less than $30 billion, one third less that of Exxon Mobile, a single private American firm, and well below the market’s expectations.

This pure domination continues in the wider economic picture.

The world learned last week, for instance, that Russia’s GDP shrank 9.5% in the first quarter of 2009, even more than the 7% that that the Kremlin had originally reported. Here again, Russia’s performance was one-third worse than America’s. The U.S. economy shrank just 6% in the first quarter. The World Bank puts the value of Russia’s GDP at $1.3 trillion. The U.S. GDP is ten times larger, at $13.8 trillion. The difference, of course, is expanding rapidly as the Russian economy contracts much more dramatically.

Russia has only five companies on the list of the world’s 500 largest, a pathetic 1% of the total that must be shocking for those who imagine Russia to be an economic titan and “energy superpower.” Not one of Russia’s companies has revenues in excess of $100 billion. America has 153 companies on the list, nearly one-third of the total, thirty times more than Russia. Fifteen of the American firms have revenues in excess of $100 billion. McKesson, the smallest of the 15, has significantly more revenues than Gazprom, which is the largest of Russia’s enterprises.

Russia has just 32 billionaires, none worth as much as $10 billion. America has twenty times that number, twenty of whom have more than $10 billion in net worth.

We could go on, and on. By any standard, America and Russia are in two entirely different universes of economic power, and that of course translates into wholly incomparable levels of military power and living standards. Americans are #30/191 nations when ranked for lifespan, Russians are a miserable #128/191.

Perhaps, as Russians have chosen to be governed by a proud KGB spy and to provoke a new cold war, they should reflect on these facts. But we doubt they will have the wisdom to do so.

18 responses to “EDITORIAL: USA Dominates Russia”

Putin’s got a card up his sleeve. He’s got one of his proteges named Obama in the White House, who is following his economic prescription of nationalizing industries, running the banks, appointing CEO’s and telling them how to run their companies.

Obama’s got the Americans drinking the koolaid, because most have not been to Russia or know much about the country because of our pathetic government run education system. Gas prices are rising again. Stephen Chu, Obama’s Energy Secretary, would like to see $6.00 a gallon gas, like in Europe. That’ll do wonders for the Russian Economy, while ruining ours. This is change we can believe in.

The end result will be to run the American economy down to Russia’s level. Is it really fair that America has such a productive economy? After all, we are one nation among equals, aren’t we? Barry said so. Don’t forget he won.

Um… even if there’s “A” Russian stooge (“one of his proteges”) in the White House, his desk is not in the Oval Office this time. Obama doesn’t look deeply into Putin’s eyes and SEE his soul. Or think a cross hanging around his neck makes him an ok guy. Lets not forget who was president in tandem with Putin and did NOTHING to stop him, and who’s energy policy (known as more oil) lead to empowering him. Where were your conspiracy theories about Russians in the White House 8 years ago?

The American economy will grow and change and the US will be on top again, and no amount of your hate for Obama will stop it. That is my prediction for the future, anyone wanna bet against America?

Marc,
Sounds like you’re the one full of hate. George Bush was not personally responsible for everything that went wrong around the world in his 8 years. When things don’t pan out as intended, will you still blame Bush? Disagreeing with Obama’s policies doesn’t mean one “Hates” that person. I don’t believe the U.S. will come out of this situation ‘stronger’ than before. Adding trillions in new debt will set the stage for hyper-inflation down the road, and that won’t leave us better off, IMHO.

boba… Kolchak didn’t use editorial “we”. So, whether you googled up this quote or came up yourself, doesn’t matter. You are wrong with your comment. I realize that Andrew assumed more logic in you than you seem to possess; so hopefully, this clarifies for you.

First, you can google up “editorial we” or check wiki for its meaning.

Second, I think Twain’s quote was aimed exactly on this sort of stuff: “we can neutralize”, “we must defeat”, “we don’t have much time to stop him” и прочие “судьбы Родины”.

LA RUSSOPHOBE RESPONDS:

Just curious: Did you know that Russian journalists use “we” to refer to Russia’s sports teams and diplomats when they are reporting the news, not editorializing? Can’t any ordinary American citizen say “we won the gold medal at the olympics at Lake Placid by brutally kicking some sorry Russian butt all over the ice” or “we walked on the moon and Russia never did”? Are you trying to outlaw patriotism?

Also curious: Are you speaking about this because you can’t handle the substance of the comment you read, and need to try to distract attention from it?

obviously, the concept of “we the people” is quite foreign to boba. Russian election system has one voter (Putin for federal elections, Tkachev for Sochi election, etc.) – he obviously assumes that it’s the same way everywhere…

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